Automotive Engineering M. Sc.

Program-specific information

Introductory event
The introductory event for first-semester students of your Master's degree programme usually takes place in the last week before the start of lectures. The date and place will be communicated to all first-semester students in good time by e-mail. A first impression is provided in advance by the short presentation from the last introductory event.

Where can I find help and contact persons for my degree programme?
Legally binding regulations for your degree program can be found in the statutes and regulations of TUM. Answers to frequently asked questions can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). You are also welcome to contact your responsible contact persons (academic advisor, examination board, internship office, etc.) at any time by e-mail and/or make an appointment in person or by telephone. Please also note the general office hours without appointment.

TUMonline
TUMonline is TUM's campus management system. For example, TUMonline is used to apply and administer your degree program (registration for courses, exams, etc.). You will find further links in the FAQs.

Timetable
There are no predefined timetables for your Master's degree programme. Based on the module lists or in your study tree in TUMonline and the registration rules, which you can find in the FPSO of your degree program, you can put together your personal individual timetable. As a guide to how many modules should be completed in a semester, the generally valid curriculum for your Master's degree programme, which you can find in the programme documentation, serves as a guide. Assistance in creating your personal timetable in TUMonline is provided by the IT Service of TUM.

Scripts and lecture notes
Some lecturers offer scripts or other lecture notes for their courses, which are professionally printed by the student council's print shop and sold to enrolled students. Information about the offer and the opening hours of the script sale can be found here. Lecture notes are often also made available on the Moodle learning platform. You will receive more information from the lecturers directly in the course.

Recognition of achievements from a previous degree programme
Information on a possible recognition of credits from another degree programme can be found in the FAQs in the "Recognition of achievements" section.

Important from the very beginning: The study progress control!
At the beginning of your studies, please familiarize yourself with the study progress control, which is regulated in §10, paras. 2 and 4 of the APSO of the TUM:

"[…] (2) In Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes, a number of module examinations based on the foundations of the respective degree programme must be completed by the end of the second semester, to be determined in the FPSO.
(4) In four-semester Master's degree programmes, the modules defined in the respective FPSO
1. at least 30 credits by the end of the third semester,
2. at least 60 credits by the end of the fourth semester,
3. at least 90 credits by the end of the fifth semester,
4. at least 120 credits by the end of the sixth semester. […]"

If you do not comply with these requirements, the achievements that have not yet been completed are considered  to have been definitively failed, which will lead to disenrollment. Related university degree programmes, in particular Master's degree programmes in a comparable subject area, can no longer be studied after disenrollment due to definitive failure of achievements, at least in Germany. Worried you won't reach the necessary credits? Please contact your contact persons from the Academic Advisory Service or the Examination Board in good time! We are happy to support you!

Specialist literature
Specialist books, journals and materials can be obtained directly from the Mechanical Engineering Branch Library or via interlibrary loan.

General information

Fit for TUM service fair
From organizing studies to housing and university life: Learn everything you need to know about general university facilities and offers at the digital service fair "Fit for TUM". This is how you arrive safely at TUM.

Housing
TUM supports you in your search for accommodation with various offers.

Financing
TUM advises you on various options for financing your studies.

Mobility
In order to reach the various TUM locations in the vicinity of Munich, we recommend using the public transport of the MVV and MVG. You can subscribe to a discounted Deutschlandticket for students.

Here you can find the general dates and deadlines at TUM.

Binding examination dates for your degree program can be found in TUMonline.

The exam registration for your degree program usually takes place during the following periods:

• May 15 – June 30 for exams following the summer semester
• November 15 – January 15 for exams following the winter semester

Here you will find all relevant documents relating to your degree programme:

• General Academic and Examination Regulations
• Program-Specific Academic and Examination Regulations
• Aptitude Assessment: See Attachment 2 of FPSO
• Degree Program Documentation: Select degree program → Information on Degree Program → Program Profile
• Module Catalog
• Timetable: Your degree program does not have a fixed timetable. You choose your modules according to your own preferences from the current offer in TUMonline.
• Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice and for Dealing with Scientific Misconduct (only available in German)

Here you will find all relevant forms for your degree program:

Recognitions

(Recognition of Achievements from Previous Studies / Semester Abroad)
Application for Recognition of Study and Examination Achievements
Letter of justification for the inclusion of a module in the Engineering Flexibilisation pillar 

Transfer of Study and Examination Achievements by Parallel Studies within TUM

Application for Transfer of Study and Examination Achievements by Parallel Studies (Antrag auf Leistungsnachtrag)

Modules

Current note: The application procedure for the integration of modules from other degree programs is currently being modified. In the meantime, please do not submit any applications based on the old form. You will receive all the necessary information and forms in good time before the next integration date (deadline 31.07.2026).

Internships

Internship proof

Examinations

Application for withdrawal from the examination

Written work

Minimum requirements for academic theses (formatting, cover page and declaration of independence)

Certificate documents

Activity list and routing slip (for recording special activities during the studies for documentation in the Diploma Supplement)

Exam Registration

All relevant times around exam registration can be found under Dates and Deadlines. In principle, you register for all exams via TUMonline. Instructions on how to register for exams can be found in the central IT Wiki. For your own safety, we advise you to print out a registration confirmation from TUMonline after registration. Registrations after the official registration period are not possible. If you have problems registering, assigning or deregistering from examinations, please contact the examination board responsible for you immediately.

Exam deregistration and withdrawal from exams

As a rule, you can cancel your exam independently in TUMonline up to 7 days before the respective exam date. After the one-week deadline has expired, deregistration from the exam is generally only possible by withdrawing from the exam.

The following applies to the application for withdrawal from the examination:

• Only reasons for which the student is not responsible will be recognised.
• The request for withdrawal must be submitted immediately, e.g. by personal submission, by dropping it in the mailbox next to room MW0011 (Bachelor's Examination Board MW) or MW0011a (Master's Examination Board MW), by post (Attention: receipt of the application can only be guaranteed by registered mail), by email at bpa.me@ed.tum.de (Bachelor's Examination Board MW) or mpa.me@ed.tum.de (Master's Examination Board MW).
• The reasons for failure to do so must be credibly substantiated (proof required).
• In case of absence due to illness, a certificate must be submitted. The certificate must always be based on an examination that was carried out on the day on which you assert that you are unable to take the exam. Please note our instructions.
• If the exam is interrupted due to sudden illness during the examination, the invigilators must be notified and an application for withdrawal with a medical certificate, issued on the day of the examination, must be submitted immediately to the Bachelor's/Master's Examination Board in Mechanical Engineering. If the examination is completed regularly, no withdrawal from the examination can be recognised.
• If, although a request for withdrawal has been submitted, an examination is recorded, the request for withdrawal is invalidated and can no longer be asserted retrospectively. If a student takes part in an examination in knowledge of his/her condition despite health or other circumstances that reduce performance, he/she can no longer assert this impairment retrospectively.
• Attention: Withdrawing from an exam for recognized reasons is equivalent to deregistering from an exam. According to the provisions of the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act, only failed examinations can be written as repeat examinations during the leave of absence. If you have been notified of a withdrawal from an examination with a recognised reason (approved withdrawal from the examination), this examination is not considered a repeat examination in the next semester and can therefore not be taken as a repeat examination during the leave of absence.

When does it make sense to withdraw from an exam?
At TUM, there is usually no limit on the number of exam attempts or the repetition of individual exams - as long as you are within the permissible study progress (credit limits) according to §10 of the APSO. However, when is it necessary or sensible to withdraw from an examination?

1. Basic examinations HM1 and TM1 in the Bachelor's degree programme in Mechanical Engineering: Participation in the two basic examinations Higher Mathematics 1 and Technical Mechanics 1 is mandatory. They only have one retry at a time. The exams must be passed by the end of the second semester at the latest! An exam that has been registered but not taken will be considered a failed attempt. Accordingly, if you are unable to attend an examination date at short notice (e.g. due to illness or other valid reasons), you must immediately withdraw from the examination (with the submission of appropriate proof). This is how you prevent a failed attempt due to "no-show".
2. Problems with the study progress check in the Bachelor's or Master's degree: If you only just reach the credit hurdle of the study progress review, you should immediately apply for a withdrawal from the exam in question in the event of illness or other valid reasons in order to meet the immediacy of the valid reasons according to §10 APSO. Valid reasons can only be given if the report is made immediately.

Please note that even in the case of recognized exam withdrawals, this does not automatically trigger an extension of the deadline. You must apply for this separately. The examination board decides on the granting of an extension of the deadline and §10 APSO applies.

Examination Notices

You will be informed by the Graduation Office and Academic Records Garching by e-mail that you can retrieve the official examination notice via TUMonline. Three days after dispatch, the notice is deemed to have been delivered! The objection period of one month runs from the date of service. An objection must always be filed in writing with the TUM Center for Study and Teaching - Studium und Lehre - Recht. If you have any questions about the decision, please contact the examination board responsible for you first. The number of attempts required is only listed in the account statement, which is also part of the notices. In the Transcript of Records, the passed exams are listed without the number of attempts required.

Exam results

You can find out your exam results in the following ways:

• Account statement from TUMonline: All results are listed here (for your own check).
• Transcript of Records from TUMonline: Only the passed exams are listed here.
• Official Bachelor's/Master's Certificate of Achievement exclusively from:
  Graduation Office and Academic Records, Campus Garching
  Boltzmannstr. 17/III
  85748 Garching bei MünchenTel: +49 (0)89 289 - 14543
  E-Mail: birgit.neurath@tum.de
  www.tum.de/studium/im-studium/pruefungen-und-ergebnisse  

Audit review

If students are unable to attend the examination for reasons beyond their control, they can apply for an alternative date. To do this, an informal application must be submitted immediately to the responsible examination board. The application must be accompanied by copies of the reason for the impediment (e.g. stay abroad, internship, illness, etc.). After receipt of the documents by the Examination Board, they will be reviewed and, if the subsequent inspection is approved, forwarded to the responsible examiner. For the purpose of scheduling an appointment with the responsible examiner, please give the Examination Board your consent to forward your personal data (e-mail address). Please note: Private reasons (e.g. holiday trips) cannot be taken into account. Inspection by an authorised representative is not possible (except in the case of pending opposition proceedings or legal disputes). You will receive copies of your examination documents during the examination review.

Repeat examinations

Repeat examinations are failed examinations for which you were registered and did not pass (grade 5.0) or were registered and did not appear (X n.e.). Withdrawing from an examination for recognised reasons is equivalent to deregistering from an examination. According to the provisions of the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act, only failed examinations can be written as repeat examinations during the leave of absence. If you have been notified of a withdrawal from an examination with a recognised reason (approved withdrawal from the examination), this examination is not considered a repeat examination in the next semester and can therefore not be taken as a repeat examination during the leave of absence. You will not be automatically registered for repeat examinations. All students must register for all exams independently in TUMonline via the study tree.

As a rule, examinations can be repeated as often as desired until passing, provided that the required study progress according to APSO §10 is adhered to. Exceptions are:

• For Bachelor's students: According to §38 para. 2 FPSO, the basic examinations HM 1 and TM 1 must  be passed by the end of the 2nd semester and may only be repeated once within this period  .
• Bachelor's thesis and Master's thesis: The final thesis  may only be repeated once within the required study progress.

Study progress monitoring

If you can prove that you have not been able to complete your studies properly over a long period of time (possibly even an entire semester) for reasons beyond your control (illness, etc.), you can apply for an extension or suspension of the deadline. The reasons must be reported to the responsible examination board immediately. If you fail to pass the study progress assessment, you cannot retroactively refer to long-term illnesses or other reasons if you did not report them to your examination board immediately. As a rule, a suspension of the study progress check is only possible 1x. If the restrictions persist, the student must inquire at the Application and Enrolment Department about the possibility of a leave of absence or an interruption of studies. You can also take advantage of the advice provided by the student advisory service or the secretary of your degree programme. Please find out more about the necessary certificate under Certificates.

Compensation for disadvantages

APSO § 19 defines:

"If a student credibly demonstrates that he or she is unable to take the examination in whole or in part in the intended form due to a long-term or permanent physical disability or chronic illness, this can be compensated for by a corresponding extension of the working hours or a different design of the examination procedure."

The application for disadvantage compensation must be  submitted immediately at the beginning of lectures, but no later than 15.11 in the winter semester and by 15.05 in the summer semester. The application for disadvantage compensation must be submitted to the responsible examination board. The application for compensation for disadvantages must be accompanied by a medical certificate. Information on the certificate can be found in the letter accompanying the certificate under Forms [insert link!!]. After receipt of your application for compensation for disadvantages, the examination board will examine with appropriate proof whether and, if so, in what form the compensation for disadvantages can be granted. You will receive a notification from the examination board. If you are granted disadvantage compensation for the duration of your studies in the corresponding degree programme, the examinations for which you need disadvantage compensation must be reported to the examination board every semester by the end of the examination registration period at the latest. For more information, please refer to the notification. The Examination Board will inform the chairs/professorships if it reports in due time.Compensation for disadvantages will not be granted in the case of acute, temporary illnesses or injuries. If necessary, please apply for a withdrawal from the examination if there are severe restrictions. Further information about disadvantage compensation (including the application form) can be found on the central TUM page on the topic.

Examination Board

The Bachelor's Examination Board in Mechanical Engineering or the Master's Examination Board in Mechanical Engineering, which is made up of professors from the respective degree programmes and a secretary, is responsible for your degree programme. It meets once a semester, discusses motions and implements them by passing resolutions. You can contact the examination board via the respective secretary. You can find your responsible contact person in the contact box on the right.

If you have any further questions, please also check our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). 

Recognition 

Recognition of academic achievements is only possible if there are no “substantial differences in the acquired competencies (learning outcomes)” (see BayHIG Art. 86; Lisbon Recognition Convention, Art. VI.1). If you have completed courses and examinations at a recognized university in Germany or abroad, for example during previous studies or a study abroad period, and these are relevant to your current degree program, you may submit an application to check whether recognition is possible.

There are three options for having examination achievements recognized

Recognition of examination achievements is only possible if the maximum number of credits to be earned within the respective elective areas, as defined in Annex 1 of the relevant FPSO, has not yet been reached.

1. Recognition in cases of equivalent content

The assessment of content equivalence for a module within your curriculum structure is carried out by the module coordinator on the basis of the module description submitted by the student.

It is the student’s responsibility to assess in advance, based on the module handbook, whether the module to be recognized could be equivalent in content to the TUM module for which recognition is being requested.

2. Recognition as an “Individual Master’s Module”

The assessment of academic relevance, without the achievement of an equivalent module, is carried out by the Academic Program Director on the basis of the module description and a written justification submitted (Begründungsschreiben) by the student.

For an Individual Master’s Module, 5 ECTS are awarded, even if a higher number of ECTS was completed at the external higher education institution.

3. Recognition as “Recognized Supplementary Subject from a Study Abroad Semester” or “Recognized External Supplementary Subject”

You may submit an application for blanket recognition of a maximum of two supplementary subjects (three under the former study regulations). For blanket recognition of supplementary subjects, the course must have a clear engineering relevance to your degree program, and each achievement completed abroad or at a non-TUM institution must correspond to at least 3 ECTS.

For supplementary subjects completed abroad or at a non-TUM institution, 3 ECTS will be credited, even if more than 3 ECTS were awarded abroad or externally. In addition, it must be demonstrated that the achievement completed abroad or at a non-TUM institution corresponds to the level of a Master’s degree program.

The Examination Board for Mechanical Engineering cannot provide an assessment of the academic relevance or content equivalence of modules in advance. The evaluation is carried out only after a formal application for recognition has been submitted to the Examination Board.

Application Procedure

Please submit the fully completed and signed form “Application for Recognition of Examination Achievements” together with all relevant supporting documents to the Examination Board for Mechanical Engineering at: mpa.me@ed.tum.de

Please ensure that you carefully observe the information provided on the application form as well as the applicable deadlines.

Recognition of Achievements from Previous Studies

Master-level achievements completed in a previous degree program can be submitted for recognition.

This also applies to voluntary additional achievements completed during a preceding Bachelor’s degree program, provided that the respective grade and ECTS were not included in the calculation of the Bachelor’s final grade and that the module is part of your current Master’s degree program.

Pursuant to APSO § 16 paragraph 4, sentence 3, an application for recognition of examination achievements from previous studies may be submitted only once within the first year of study to the responsible Examination Board. The “first year” refers to the first academic year of your current degree program for which recognition is requested. Compliance with the deadline is determined by the date on which the application is submitted.

Applications for recognition cannot be submitted prior to enrollment in the Master’s degree program. A preliminary assessment in advance is likewise not possible.

In the case of voluntary additional achievements completed within a TUM Bachelor’s degree program, the application for recognition may only be submitted after the Bachelor’s certificate has been issued.

Recognition of Achievements from a Study Abroad Semester

Master-level achievements completed during a study abroad period can be submitted for recognition 

Pursuant to APSO § 16 paragraph 4, sentence 4, the application for recognition of credits earned during a semester of leave of absence may only be submitted in the semester, which is following the semester of leave of absence for one time.

If you are on leave of absence during your semester abroad, your application for recognition will only be processed after the end of the leave of absence period.

Please Observe the Following Regulations

• Upgrading to a higher subject semester is carried out in accordance with § 4 (5) sentence 1 of the Enrollment Statutes (Immatrikulationssatzung) in the currently valid version. One semester is credited for every 30 ECTS acquired. If at least 22 additional ECTS beyond a multiple of 30 have been earned, one further full semester will be credited.
• The turnaround time for an application for recognition may take several weeks. During this period, we kindly ask you to refrain from inquiries regarding the status of your application. Once processing has been completed and your recognitions have been entered, they will be visible in your TUMonline academic record.
• Approved credits are marked with an *) in the grade report. You can find your approved credits in the corresponding position in your study tree.
• Recognition is only possible for achievements that are part of your curriculum. Recognition as an additional subject (Zusatzfach) is not possible.

• Recognition of a TUM module that is not part of the degree program is not possible. Recognition is only feasible if an equivalent module is included in the respective degree program (exception: recognition as a blanket supplementary subject). However, you may apply for the inclusion of the module in the degree program by contacting the module administration at module.studium@ed.tum.de with the subject line “Module Inclusion ME.” The form “Application for Inclusion of Internal TUM Modules” can be found under Forms. Please also refer to the FAQs under “Modules from other Degree Programs.”

   

Transfer of Study and Examination Achievements by Parallel Studies within TUM

As soon as you are enrolled simultaneously in more than one Master’s degree program, achievements that you wish to “transfer” are treated as a credit transfer (Leistungsnachtrag), not as recognition.

• A credit transfer is only possible for achievements completed during the period of parallel enrollment.
• A credit transfer will only be carried out if the respective module is identical in both degree programs, meaning it has the same module number.
• If you commence the second degree program after beginning the first and wish to use achievements from the first program in the second, this constitutes recognition of achievements from previous studies.
• Credit transfers do not result in an upgrade to a higher subject semester.

For submission, please use the form “Application for Transfer of Study and Examination Achievements by Parallel Studies within TUM (Antrag auf Leistungsnachtrag)". Kindly send the fully completed and signed form to the Examination Board for Mechanical Engineering at: mpa.me@ed.tum.de

Please monitor your academic progress on a regular basis. In the case of double degree studies, only those achievements that have been submitted in due time via the “Application for Credit Transfer of Achievements Completed at TUM (Doppelstudium)” and have been officially recorded will be considered for the Study Progress Check. Responsibility for timely submission lies with you. Applications submitted late or not submitted at all may result in the required ECTS not being achieved by the relevant deadline. 

If you have any further questions, please check our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). 

What is research practice and where can I find topics?

The prerequisite for registering for research practice is enrollment in a master's program.

In the master's programs (enrollment in the 2019/2020 academic year or later), you can choose between

• a semester paper
• a team project, or
• a research internship.

For information on content, etc., please refer to the respective module descriptions. You can search for topics on the homepages of the chairs and in the database of the mechanical engineering student council, for example. When selecting a topic, please note who is authorized to propose topics in your degree program.

Who can be my supervisor?

The authorization to set topics is regulated in the examination and study regulations (FPSO §37a) of the respective degree program. Below you will find the current authorization to set topics (as of October 2021).

In all Master's degree programs in the field of Mechanical Engineering Thesis:

• expert examiners that offer master modules in the respective degree program (except for master modules included in the section "Flexibilation in Engineering Sciences"),
• expert examiners of the Departments
  • Aersopace and Geodesy,
  • Engineering Physics and Computaion,
  • Mobility Systems Engineering,
  • Mechanical Engineering,
  • Materials Engineering,
  • Energy and Process Engineering,

of the TUM School of Engineering and Design as well as

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Timo Oksanen (Professorship of Agrimechatronics),
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Gaderer (Professorship of Regenerative Energy Systems),
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jakob Burger (Professorship Chemical Process Engineering)
• Prof. Dr. Allister Loder (Professorship of Mobility Policy).

What is the workload of my research practice?

The workload of a scientific thesis is reflected in the credits. You can either complete a term project, a practical research course or a team project. All three options are assessed with 11 credits = 330 working hours each (equivalent to 2 months full-time work).

The period for writing this thesis is 6 months in each case.

Can I give back a research practice which has already been registered?

No.

It is only possible to return a topic for the final thesis.

Can I extend the processing time?

Yes. Upon request, an extension of up to one month is possible. The application is submitted via the ED portal.

In case of illness, the period for writing this thesis may be extended by the duration of inability. The application for this must be submitted via ED-Portal (a medical certificate must be provided). 

Please see Final Thesis for further information.

Can the research practice be written outside of TUM?

Yes, but the issue and initial supervision must be carried out by a TUM supervisor.

There is no entitlement to supervision of a thesis that is written externally. The topic is always set by an expert examiner from TUM. If you would like to work on an interesting topic in a company, please contact the relevant chair/department (= topic setter) at an early stage to inquire whether a thesis can be written externally. Please note the following summary of the examination regulations:
The topic is always set by an expert examiner in accordance with APSO §18 (4), sentences 1 and 3.

Those setting the topics may offer students the opportunity to complete the topic externally, e.g., in cooperation with a company.
Under no circumstances may students present a topic already specified by an external partner to the examiners and demand supervision from the university.
A student research project is an examination and is therefore subject to the regular examination procedure. Examiners must be able to view the student research project in its entirety and be in a position to evaluate it.
The written paper may not contain any declaration prohibiting the publication of the student research project or parts thereof. (Restrictive notes are not permitted. Faculty Council decision, valid from WS17/18).
Copyright/usage rights requirements (contact: Till von Feilitzsch): There is no obligation to publish student research projects. The copyright remains with the student.

Can I submit my research project during my semester off?

No. You are not permitted to submit any academic work (research project, thesis) during your semester off. This means that you must submit your academic work before the start of your semester off or you may only begin it after it has started. The requirements for submission are set out in §14 (1) sentence 4 of the APSO in its currently valid version, i.e. if you registered your research practice/thesis in the previous semester, you can still submit it until the end of the first week of lectures in the new semester (= leave of absence semester). See also “Leave of absence.” An exception is leave of absence due to pregnancy or parenthood (also for men).

How do I register my research practice?

All research practices (in the ED portal under the menu item Project Work) starting on or after April 15, 2025, must be registered via the ED portal.

The procedure is similar to that for registering theses. For detailed instructions, please refer to Final Thesis.

The general procedure is as follows:

1. The chair registers the project work in the ED portal.

2. The students confirm their registration in the ED portal.

3. The School Office approves the registration.

4. The students upload the project report.

5. The chair enters the grade in the portal.

6. The project work data is transferred to TUMonline.

How do I submit my research practice?

Submission is done directly via the ED portal. For detailed instructions, please refer to Final Thesis.

When will the next allocation round take place?

The current allocation round is for the practical courses in the first half of the Summer Semester 2025. The preference submission began on 03.03.25.
 

Who are practical courses relevant for?

For some degree programs at the School of Engineering and Design, practical courses are a mandatory part of the curriculum. If this applies to your program, you will find a dedicated entry for it in your study plan. This will also indicate how many ECTS credits you need to earn through practical courses as part of your studies.

In some programs, such as the M.Sc. in Civil Engineering, certain practical courses can be recognized as elective subjects but are not a compulsory component of the curriculum.

What are practical courses?

Practical courses are an introduction into methods and proceedings required in all fields of engineering. Students are taught typical problems of the day to day work of engineers and which tools and software they use to manage them. Complementing the focus of study, a further specialisation of the students skills in practical oriented or fundamental knowledge is provided in these courses.

Practical courses are usually held in small groups, enabling students to develop solutions to realistic challenges alone or in small teams. With close guidance and councelling by the courses lecturers, they can resolve emerging issues and debate further questions. This way, the approach of independent learning of the project seminar in the bachelor's degree is continued in the master's study.

How many credits do I get for participating in a practical course?

Most practical courses have a workload of 4 ECTS credits. This correlates to 60 hours of attendance in classes and 60 hours of self-study.

Which practical courses can I choose?

You choose your desired courses from a catalog of currently about 150 modules depending on your field of study. You can find a complete list of all modules in your study tree in TUMonline.

Please note, that not all courses take place every semester. If a course appears in your study tree, this does not mean that it is offered in the current term.

In which semester do I need to do the practical courses? 

You can pass your two practical courses in an arbitrary semester. There are no general requirements regarding the study progress or the semester of your participation. Furthermore, there are no requirements wether the courses are held over the semester or during the semester brake.

Can I do a practical course instead of my mandatory internship?

No, practical courses are modules that complement the individual focus of study in a master's degree. They cannot replace a manufacturing or engineering internship in the bachelor's degree.

How do I register for practical courses?

All places for practical courses are allocated in central registration procedures in TUMonline.

The easiest way to find them is via the "Courses" tab on your TUMonline home page. If you search for "Practical Courses" in the desired semester, a single course linked to all current registration procedures appears. Here, you can choose between three independent procedures. One for the practical courses accompanying the semester and one for the block courses in the first and second half of the semester, respectively. Because the registration periods usually differ between them, not all  procedures are necessarily open for new registrations at any time. If the button "Continue" is displayed, this means that the procedure is currently active and open for registrations. However, if the Button "Show Details" is visible, this procedure has no active registration period at the moment.

If you select a procedure with an open registration period, you find a list of all contained practical courses. Here, you can select the groups you would like to participate in and assign a priority to your registration. Then, your selection has to be confirmed at the bottom of the page.

How does the central allocation process work?

Generally, there are two registration periods per semester. During the first one, all places for the courses accompanying the semester and the block courses of the first half of the semester are distributed. In the second period, the places for the block courses in the second half of the semester are allocated. In both cases, the procedure is the same:

First, all students get the chance to register their priorities in a two-week time window. At the end of this period, the first fixed places are allocated regarding the criteria, listed in the paragraph below. Usually, most places get distributed at this this time.

However, for all students who did not receive a fixed place during this first allocation, the registration stays open from this point on. They can still change their preferences and remain on the waiting list for already filled groups. From there, everyday at 10 pm, new places are distributed between all participants. The registration process closes when the last course in it begins.

Students are informed about all upcoming registration procedures and deadlines via email in advance.

What factors determine wether I receive a fixed place or not?

Places in all registration procedures are allocated after the following criteria:

• Master's before bachelor's
• Completed semesters
• Chance

What are the deadlines of the current registration procedures?

The exact dates and deadlines for an upcoming registration phase are always announced by us via email a few weeks in advance.

The expected dates for the winter term are:

Courses accompanying the semester

Selection of preferences: Late August to September
Allocation of fixed places and free registration: September

Block courses (Beginning between 01.10. and 31.12.)

Selection of preferences: Late August to September
Allocation of fixed places and free registration: September

Block courses (Beginning between 01.01. and 31.03.)

Selection of preferences: Late November to December
Allocation of fixed places and free registration: December

The expected dates for the summer term are:

Courses accompanying the semester

Selection of preferences: Late February to March
Allocation of fixed places and free registration: March

Block courses (Beginning between 01.04. and 30.06.)

Selection of preferences: Late February to March
Allocation of fixed places and free registration: March

Block courses (Beginning between 01.07. and 31.09.)

Selection of preferences: Late May to June
Allocation of fixed places and free registration: June

Does the time of my registration influence the allocation?

No, the allocation process does not work on a "First Come First Serve" premise. Alone the demand and aforementioned criteria influence the likelihood of receiving a fixed place.

During the free registration phase, after the first allocation, the new registrations of each day are also processed with the same criteria.

How do I make sure that my preferences are registered correctly?

In the tab "My courses" on the "Courses" page in TUMonline you can find all preferences and fixed places associated with your account. Here, every course group you want to register to should be displayed at least with the status "requirements met". This means that your registration has passed the requirements check and is pending for a fixed place allocation.

Can I deregister from a single group inside a registration procedure?

No, unfortunately this function is not (yet) available in TUMonline. Students can deregister from whole registration procedures, but not from individual groups. If you want to deregister a single group in a procedure where you received multiple fixed places, please contact that courses supervisor or hochschulpraktika@ed.tum.de 

If you want to deregister from all of your fixed places in a procedure, you can use the button on the bottom of its group view.

Can I receive another fixed place in a registration procedure after I've already been assigned one?

As soon as you receive a fixed place in a registration procedure, you can not get assigned further places. However, this does not affect other registration procedures.

If you want to register for an additional group in a procedure with an active fixed place assignment, please check the available capacity of that group in TUMonline and contact either the courses supervisor or hochschulpraktika@ed.tum.de.

Will I have better chances to get my preferred course, if I just register for a single group?

Our registration procedures will always try to assign you the groups with the highest priority possible. However, some of the courses in our procedures have up to 50 times more applicants than available places. Therefore, you might also need some luck to get into one of the highly demanded groups.

If you just register for a single course in one of our procedures, your registration will not be treated with a higher priority.

The number of set priorities does not affect the allocation process.

Who can I contact for further questions?

We are glad to answer your questions at hochschulpraktika@ed.tum.de

Master's Thesis

Admission

A prerequisite for admission is that at least 80 credits have been earned and all additional requirements (Auflagen) have been fulfilled.
If the additional requirements have been fulfilled and examination results have already been published but are not yet formally valid in the system, students may be admitted to the Master’s Thesis provided that at least 80 ECTS credits have been achieved based on the published results (admission under reserve).

The Registration takes place via the ED-Portal. The student must confirm in the ED-Portal that all admission requirements have been fulfilled. Final Theses in the ED-Portal

Thesis Examiner / Thesis Supervisor 

The authorization to act as examiner (Themensteller/in) is regulated in the Subject-Specific Academic and Examination Regulations (FPSO) of the respective degree program. For Thesis, the relevant provisions can be found in § 46.

The legal provisions set out there may be updated by resolutions of the Examination Board. The currently valid authorization to act as examiner is listed below.

Examiners for the Master's Thesis are:

• qualified examiners from the Departments of
  • Aersopace and Geodesy,
  • Engineering Physics and Computaion,
  • Mobility Systems Engineering,
  • Mechanical Engineering,
  • Materials Engineering,
  • Energy and Process Engineering,

of the TUM School of Engineering and Design, as well as

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Timo Oksanen (Professorship of Agrimechatronics),
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Gaderer (Professorship of Regenerative Energy Systems),
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jakob Burger (Professorship Chemical Process Engineering),
• Prof. Dr. Allister Loder (Professorship of Mobility Policy).

Cooperation with a Company – May a thesis be carried out in a company and may it contain a confidentiality clause?

There is no entitlement to supervision of a thesis that is prepared externally. The topic must always be assigned by a qualified examiner of TUM.
If you wish to work on an interesting topic within a company, you must therefore contact the relevant chair or academic unit (= examiner/supervisor) at an early stage to clarify whether the thesis may be carried out externally.

Please note the following examination regulations:

• The topic is always assigned by a qualified examiner in accordance with APSO § 18 (4), sentences 1 and 3.
• Examiners may offer students the option of completing the thesis externally, for example in cooperation with a company.
• Under no circumstances may students approach an examiner with a topic that has already been defined by an external partner and request supervision from the university.
• A thesis is an examination component and is therefore subject to the regular examination procedure. Examiners must be granted full access to the thesis and must be able to assess it without restriction.
• The written thesis may not contain any declaration prohibiting the publication of the thesis or parts thereof. (Confidentiality clauses are not permitted. Resolution of the Faculty Council, valid from Winter Semester 2017/18.)

Provisions regarding copyright and rights of use (contact person: Till von Feilitzsch):

• There is no obligation to publish the thesis. Copyright remains with the student.

Registration

Registration is carried out via the ED-Portal. Within the ED Portal, you must confirm that you meet the required admission requirements. All relevant information can be found in the ED-Portal Wiki. The supervising chair registers you for the thesis in the portal. You will then receive an email asking you to confirm the registration of the thesis and the details entered in the portal. Only after your confirmation will the registration be reviewed by the Examination Board. You will subsequently receive approval or rejection of the topic by email. All portal notifications are sent to your TUM email address.

Scope

The workload of an academic thesis is reflected in the number of credits awarded. A Master’s Thesis (including the seminar) comprises:

• 30 credits = 900 working hours = 6 months of full-time work
• Processing period = 6 months
• A Master’s Thesis may be submitted no earlier than four months after the start of the processing period.

Please note that, as part of the Master's Thesis module, the seminar Schlüsselkompetenzen für die wissenschaftliche Praxis 2 , including the preparation of an exposé, must be completed as a compulsory component.

Information on the exposé can be found under: Final Theses in the ED-Portal

Submission

The written thesis must be submitted digitally via the ED-Portal.  For further information, please refer to the ED-Portal Wiki.

Please check the ED-Portal for your individual processing period. Your thesis must be submitted within the specified submission deadline.

If the deadline (submission deadline for the thesis) falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, the deadline is extended to the next working day.

Important:
You must be enrolled at TUM at the time of submitting your thesis.

If your enrollment expires on a weekend, the thesis may not be submitted on the next working day unless your enrollment has been extended. This also applies to exchange students.

Information Regarding Enrollment in Connection with the Thesis Presentation

In principle, enrollment is mandatory. However, if the presentation takes place no later than one week after the start of lectures of the following semester, you are not required to enroll for that following semester — provided that the presentation of the thesis is the only remaining requirement in your degree program.

For further questions regarding enrollment, please contact the TUM Center for Study and Teaching – Application and Enrollment Office at studium@tum.de.

Information on Withdrawal of a Registered Thesis

The topic of a thesis may be returned only once, for valid reasons and upon application to the responsible Examination Board, within the first third of the processing period (within the first two months). See: Final Theses in the ED-Portal

Extension of the Processing Period

For information on extending or suspending the processing period, please refer to: Final Theses in the ED-Portal

An application for an extension or for suspension of the processing period must be submitted without delay via the ED-Portal. For suspension, please also refer to the section Medical Certificates in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

If you have detailed questions regarding the extension or suspension of the processing period, please contact your responsible Examination Board.

May I complete a final thesis during a leave of absence?

No.

You are not permitted to complete a thesis during a leave of absence.

This means that you must either submit your thesis before the start of the leave semester or begin the thesis only after the leave semester has ended.

For submission, the provisions of § 14 (1) sentence 4 of the currently valid APSO apply. This means: if you registered your thesis in the previous semester, you may submit it until the end of the first week of lectures of the new semester (= leave semester). If you submit the thesis within this period, the presentation must also take place by the end of the first week of lectures.

Please also refer to the section Leave of Absence in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
An exception applies in cases of leave due to pregnancy or parental leave (also applicable to male students).

Minimum Formatting Requirements

• Language: The language used on the title page (German or English) must correspond to the language in which the thesis is written. For theses written in German, the English title must also be stated.

The minimum formatting requirements can be found here.

Please observe the TUM guidelines regarding English spelling in thesis titles.. 

Confidentiality Clauses

See section Thesis – subsection “Cooperation with a Company – May a thesis be carried out in a company and may it contain a confidentiality clause?”above.

What happens, if the chair or professorship sets requirements that different from those of the Examination Boards?

Please ensure that you comply with the minimum formatting requirements. The cover page of your thesis may be designed in coordination with your supervising chair or professorship as usual.

Is my presentation included in the thesis grade?

The presentation on the thesis is considered as a coursework (Studienleistung) and is obligatory. However, the presentation on the thesis is not included in the assessment of the final grade for the thesis.

Is my presentation relevant for the official completion date of the thesis?

Yes.

The ungraded presentation of your thesis is considered as a coursework (Studienleistung). Therefore, the presentation is important for the final date of your thesis if you have not already given it before submitting your thesis.

Correction Period for the Thesis

In accordance with APSO § 18 (11), the thesis is generally to be assessed by the examiner who assigned the topic within a period of two months.

What happens if I do not complete my thesis by the end of the 6th semester?

As a rule, 120 ECTS credits must be completed by the end of the 6th semester. 

An exception to the academic progress check is set out in § 10 (6) sentence 1 of the currently valid General Academic and Examination Regulations for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at the Technical University of Munich (APSO). According to this provision, one additional semester is granted for the final completion of examination components if at least 90 ECTS but fewer than 120 ECTS have been achieved by the end of the 6th semester.

However, all module examinations not yet completed by that time are deemed to have been taken for the first time and failed. The subsequent sentence provides that if 120 ECTS have not been completed by the end of the 7th semester, any outstanding module examinations are deemed to have been definitively failed.

If the first attempt of the final thesis has not been submitted by the end of the 6th semester, the thesis is deemed to have been failed for the first time. As a result, the first attempt is converted into a second attempt. The end of the semester is defined by the APSO (§ 14 para. 1 sentence 4): the thesis may be submitted until the end of the first week of lectures of the following semester, as all examination components submitted by that date are allocated to the previous semester. It is sufficient that both the written thesis and the presentation are completed within this period. The grading may take place at a later date.

If the continued thesis (second attempt) is not submitted on time or not passed during the 7th semester, the Master’s Thesis is deemed to have been definitively failed. As only two attempts are permitted for the final thesis, the overall degree examination is then also deemed to have been definitively failed.

The additional 7th semester does not require a formal application. It is sufficient to re-register as usual.

Please also note the information provided at
https://www.tum.de/studium/studienabschluss/exmatrikulation/ → “Disenrollment on Account of Passed Final Examination”:

You must be enrolled in order to submit the written thesis. For the presentation, an enrollment is not required if it is the final remaining examination or academic component and takes place no later than the first week of lectures of the immediately following semester.

If you have any questions, please make sure to contact the responsible Examination Board or the academic advising service for the Mechanical Engineering degree programmes in good time.

How do I apply for a Master’s Graduation Certificate?

Please refer to the section Graduation Certificate in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

If you have further questions, please also consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

There is no mandatory internship in your degree program (unless it was assigned as a requirement). Voluntary internships can be completed. Under certain circumstances, a leave of absence may then make sense. 

Statement for a Leave of Absence Semester

If you wish to take a leave of absence for an internship, you will need a so‑called “Statement from the School.” You can obtain it as follows:

• If it is a voluntary internship, please also contact the Internship Office and obtain confirmation that the School approves the internship due to its subject-related relevance to your studies. To verify this relevance, please forward information about the company and your expected tasks to the Internship Office.
• If it is a voluntary internship abroad, please contact the international advising office of your degree program (see contact details: International Exchange).

You can also find further information on the leave-of-absence semester in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

There is the possibility of a stay abroad at a European or non-European partner university. Double degree programmes have been agreed with selected universities. You can find more information about the various options for a stay abroad on the website of the TUM Global & Alumni Office.

At the TUM School of Engineering and Design, there is also a contact person for international affairs who will support you in planning and organization (contact see Student counseling > International Exchange).

Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions sections in the ED Wiki!